Is the Renters' Rights Act law yet, and what is in force now?

In England, the Renters’ Rights Act is now law, but only some parts are in force. The Act also has limited provisions for Wales and Scotland, while Northern Ireland is not covered.

Is it the Renters' Rights Bill or the Renters' Rights Act, and where can you read it?

It is the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, not the Renters’ Rights Bill, once Royal Assent made it UK Public General Act 2025 c.26. The official short title is decisive: “This Act may be cited as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.” The enacted Act can be read on legislation.gov.uk, where its long title says it is “An Act to make provision changing the law about rented homes, including provision abolishing fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies; imposing obligations on landlords and others in relation to rented homes and temporary and supported accommodation; and for connected purposes.” Parliament’s Bill page may still send people looking for the Renters’ Rights Bill 2025, Renters Reform Bill or a Renters’ Rights Bill PDF, but the Act text on legislation.gov.uk is the version that governs. There is no separate Renters’ Rights Act 2026; 2026 is the implementation year for many provisions, not the Act’s title.

When did the Renters' Rights Act come into force?

The Renters’ Rights Act did not come into force on one single day: the main private-rented-sector tenancy reforms in England started on 1 May 2026, but other parts started earlier, later, or are still awaiting commencement. The Act’s own commencement section says: “This Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint, subject to subsections (2) to (6).” For England’s private assured tenancies, the key commencement note says: “Regulation 2 brings into force Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the 2025 Act, except section 25(3), on 1st May 2026, for the purposes of tenancies which are not social housing assured tenancies (‘private assured tenancies’) only.” Some investigatory provisions began on 27 December 2025, Wales’ Chapter 4 discrimination provisions began on 1 June 2026, and Scotland’s Chapter 5 discrimination provisions began on 1 May 2026. The practical answer to when the new rental laws come in is therefore 1 May 2026 for England’s core private-tenancy reforms, not for the whole Act.

What does the Renters' Rights Act mean for landlords?

GOV.UK's press release claims fines "up to £40,000," but that's section 66 — excepted from the 1 May 2026 commencement, so not in force. The live penalty (section 40) caps at £7,000, set by the local authority, not a rising tariff. Section 40 says: “The amount of a financial penalty imposed under this section is to be determined by the authority imposing it, but must not be more than £7,000.” For landlords in England, the Act’s immediate effect was bigger than the fine headline: private assured shorthold tenancies and fixed terms were abolished for the commenced private sector, section 21 was removed for new-style private assured tenancies, discrimination rules on children and benefits began, and existing written tenancies needed the statutory information sheet by 31 May 2026. Landlords’ concerns are rational because the rent law changes alter possession strategy, tenancy paperwork and screening practice, but the Act does not require landlords to sell or leave the PRS.

When was Section 21 abolished?

Section 21 was abolished for England’s private assured tenancies on 1 May 2026, but only for private tenancies and not by wiping out every pre-1 May notice on one blanket cutoff date. The commencement note says: “Regulation 2 brings into force Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the 2025 Act, except section 25(3), on 1st May 2026, for the purposes of tenancies which are not social housing assured tenancies (‘private assured tenancies’) only.” A section 21 notice served before 1 May 2026 could still matter under Schedule 6, which says: “The amendments made by Chapter 1 of Part 1 do not apply in relation to the tenancy until the notice under section 21 ceases to be valid by virtue of sub-paragraph (3) (and accordingly the tenancy remains an assured shorthold tenancy until then).” In practice, the last day to serve a valid section 21 notice was 30 April 2026, and Shelter treated 31 July 2026 as the latest date to start possession proceedings on a pre-commencement notice.

What did landlords have to do by 31 May 2026?

By 31 May 2026, landlords in England with an existing private tenancy that was wholly or partly in writing had to give the tenant the prescribed Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet, while wholly oral tenancies needed written information about the key tenancy terms. Schedule 6 states that the landlord “must do so before the end of the period of one month beginning with the commencement date,” and the commencement date for the relevant England private-tenancy reforms was 1 May 2026. The prescribed document was the Secretary of State’s information sheet: “The information which is required to be given for the purpose of paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act is the version of the document entitled ‘The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026’, as produced by the Secretary of State, that has effect for the time being.” GOV.UK also warned that landlords “must not email or text a link to the PDF to the tenant, as this will not be valid.” Abodient can hold each tenancy’s lease record and documents, which matters here because the 31 May duty depended on the tenancy existing at commencement and on whether the paperwork had actually been served.

Which parts of the Renters' Rights Act are not in force yet?

Several parts of the Renters’ Rights Act were still not in force after the first 2026 commencement wave, including the private rented sector database, landlord ombudsman membership, the private rented sector Decent Homes Standard, type 1 requirement provisions, and Chapter 1 tenancy reform for social-housing assured tenancies. The third commencement regulations confirm the staged position: “These Regulations are the third commencement regulations made under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (c. 26) (‘the 2025 Act’).” The Act’s own rule remains commencement by statutory instrument: “This Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint, subject to subsections (2) to (6).” The PRS Database is policy rather than live registration law for all landlords, with GOV.UK saying: “Signing up to the PRS Database will be mandatory for all PRS landlords and they will be required to pay an annual fee which will be confirmed closer to launch.” Ombudsman membership is expected in 2028, and the Decent Homes Standard consultation proposed 2035 or 2037.

Does the Renters' Rights Act apply in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The Renters’ Rights Act is mostly an England Act, but it is not England-only: general extent reaches England and Wales, Chapter 4 reached Wales on 1 June 2026, Chapter 5 reached Scotland on 1 May 2026, and Northern Ireland is not covered. Section 144 says: “This Act extends to England and Wales only, subject to subsections (2) to (4).” It then adds: “Part 1, Chapter 5 extends to Scotland only.” The Explanatory Notes give the cleanest overall summary: “The application of the Act is mostly England only, but provisions in Part 1 Chapters 4 and 5 in relation to rental discrimination against tenants who receive benefits or with children, and a handful of other provisions, will also apply to Wales and Scotland.” In Wales, Rent Smart Wales describes the main change from 1 June 2026 as the ban on discriminating against applicants because they have children or receive benefits. Northern Ireland has no equivalent Renters’ Rights Act commencement because housing law is devolved there.

What is paragraph 7 of Schedule 6 to the Renters' Rights Act?

Paragraph 7 of Schedule 6 is the England transitional rule that required landlords of existing written private tenancies to give tenants prescribed written information about the Act’s changes within one month of commencement, and it can bind agents or others contracted to ensure compliance. The paragraph says the landlord “must give the tenant any information in writing about the changes made by this Act which is required to be given by regulations made by the Secretary of State,” and “must do so before the end of the period of one month beginning with the commencement date.” It also catches a compliance contractor: “Where a landlord referred to in sub-paragraph (2) has entered into a contract with a person which requires that person to ensure compliance with that sub-paragraph (whether or not it is referred to individually), sub-paragraph (2) also applies to that person, as it applies to the landlord.” The prescribed document was the Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have no equivalent duty to serve that English Information Sheet, because the regulations are the Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026.

Last reviewed August 2026.

Sources

• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.149 — “This Act may be cited as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduction — “An Act to make provision changing the law about rented homes, including provision abolishing fixed term assured tenancies and assured shorthold tenancies; imposing obligations on landlords and others in relation to rented homes and temporary and supported accommodation; and for connected purposes.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.145 — “This Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint, subject to subsections (2) to (6).” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026, explanatory note — “Regulation 2 brings into force Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the 2025 Act, except section 25(3), on 1st May 2026, for the purposes of tenancies which are not social housing assured tenancies (‘private assured tenancies’) only.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 — “The following provisions of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 come into force on 27th December 2025—” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) (Wales) Order 2026 — “The following provisions of the Act come into force on 1 June 2026—” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 — “Regulation 2 appoints 1 May 2026 as the day on which Chapter 5 of Part 1 of the Act comes into force.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.40 — “The amount of a financial penalty imposed under this section is to be determined by the authority imposing it, but must not be more than £7,000.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.66 — “(a)£7,000, if it is imposed under subsection (1)(a), or” Source
• GOV.UK, No-fault evictions to end by May next year — “This includes tougher fines of up to £7,000 for breaches, rising up to £40,000 if they repeatedly or continue to breach the rules or commit a serious offence.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Schedule 6 — “The amendments made by Chapter 1 of Part 1 do not apply in relation to the tenancy until the notice under section 21 ceases to be valid by virtue of sub-paragraph (3) (and accordingly the tenancy remains an assured shorthold tenancy until then).” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Schedule 6 paragraph 7 — “(b)must do so before the end of the period of one month beginning with the commencement date.” Source
• Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026 reg.3 — “The information which is required to be given for the purpose of paragraph 7(2)(a) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act is the version of the document entitled ‘The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026’, as produced by the Secretary of State, that has effect for the time being(2).” Source
• GOV.UK, The Renters’ Rights Act Information Sheet 2026 — “You must not email or text a link to the PDF to the tenant, as this will not be valid.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2026 — “These Regulations are the third commencement regulations made under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (c. 26) (‘the 2025 Act’).” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 reg.2 — “The following provisions of the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force, come into force on 1st May 2026 for the purposes of assured tenancies that are not social housing assured tenancies(1) only—” Source
• GOV.UK implementation roadmap — “Signing up to the PRS Database will be mandatory for all PRS landlords and they will be required to pay an annual fee which will be confirmed closer to launch.” Source
• GOV.UK implementation roadmap — “Stage 2 will require landlords to be members of the new service – we expect this to be in 2028, when the Secretary of State is confident the service is ready for delivery.” Source
• GOV.UK implementation roadmap — “We consulted on the updated DHS between 2 July and 12 September 2025, and proposed that it is brought into force in either 2035 or 2037.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.144 — “This Act extends to England and Wales only, subject to subsections (2) to (4).” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 s.144 — “Part 1, Chapter 5 extends to Scotland only.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Explanatory Notes — “The application of the Act is mostly England only, but provisions in Part 1 Chapters 4 and 5 in relation to rental discrimination against tenants who receive benefits or with children, and a handful of other provisions, will also apply to Wales and Scotland.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Explanatory Notes — “Housing legislation in relation to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is within the devolved legislative competence of Senedd Cymru, the Scottish Parliament, or the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Schedule 6 paragraph 7 — “(a)must give the tenant any information in writing about the changes made by this Act which is required to be given by regulations made by the Secretary of State; and” Source
• Renters’ Rights Act 2025 Schedule 6 paragraph 7 — “Where a landlord referred to in sub-paragraph (2) has entered into a contract with a person which requires that person to ensure compliance with that sub-paragraph (whether or not it is referred to individually), sub-paragraph (2) also applies to that person, as it applies to the landlord.” Source
• Housing Act 1988 s.16I — “The amount of a financial penalty imposed under this section is to be determined by the authority imposing it, but must not be more than £7,000.” Source
• Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026 — “These Regulations may be cited as the Assured Tenancies (Private Rented Sector) (Written Statement of Terms etc and Information Sheet) (England) Regulations 2026.” Source